


understatement

by weekend_conspiracy_theorist



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 18:07:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5753158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weekend_conspiracy_theorist/pseuds/weekend_conspiracy_theorist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this post:</p>
<p>"here’s a fun fresh idea for the flash writers to consider: instead of inevitably writing Patty off the show in one way or another as soon as her connection to Barry isn’t relevant anymore (which I know is already happening but let me dream) let her stick around and date Caitlin Snow and save her from the dull as dudes they keep pairing her up with"</p>
            </blockquote>





	understatement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArgentLives](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentLives/gifts).



> Post found here: http://reyslesbianforce.tumblr.com/post/137537786688/heres-a-fun-fresh-idea-for-the-flash-writers-to

Of everything she was expecting from her break-up with Barry- and she’s been expecting it for a while, yeah, because things have never quite added up for them, no matter how lovely he is and no matter how much fun they had together- she never thought it would be this… quiet.

“You should go,” she says, around the ringing in her ears, and Barry closes his eyes, lets his head drop backwards.

She expected a lot of yelling, maybe some break-up sex, maybe tears and begging (maybe from Barry, maybe from her). She even kind of expected that she would throw something, break something, even though she’s never done so during past break-ups or past arguments.

“I should go,” he agrees, voice thick, and Patty’s glad he holds himself together long enough to slip out the front door, close it softly behind him—delicate, careful, like it will shatter (like both of their hearts just did).

The next day she walks into the precinct with her chin high. Joe looks at her, and she doesn’t even wait to hear what he has to say, she just grabs his arm, drags him close enough to hiss in his ear, “I’m in the loop, now, and I had better stay that way.”

She takes a step back, and Joe meets her eyes. Whatever he sees there has him nodding shortly.

“I’m sorry, Patty,” he says, and she doesn’t care.

(Yes, she does.)

***

Team Flash- they call themselves that, apparently- all walk on eggshells around her for a long while. Some things she has to pay attention to notice, like the slight hitch in the rhythm of Cisco’s speech before he launches into a discussion of something she wasn’t supposed to know a month ago, or the _tone_ in which Iris asks to take her out for drinks. (She takes her up on the offer, and they leave the bar drunk and angry and hanging off of each other, and then they make it a weekly occurrence.)

There are, however, some things that are easy to notice—like that Team Flash never leaves her alone with Barry.

“Is it because of me or him?” she asks, head tilted to the side, eyes studying Caitlin carefully.

Barry’s on the other side of the lab, too far away to hear her words. Caitlin shrugs. “I don’t know what you mean,” she says, and it’s not believable but it certainly is stubborn.

Patty smiles. It feels surprisingly genuine—she feels surprisingly genuine, since the break-up. She likes Barry a lot, maybe she was even pretty close to being in love with him, but the lies had been starting to weigh on her, both hers and his.

“Every time I’m here and Barry’s here, someone else makes an excuse to be here, too,” she tells Caitlin. “Are you all trying to protect me, too, or is it just for him?”

Caitlin’s lips twist, her brows furrow. “Patty…” she murmurs, reaches out to nudge her shoulder. “We aren’t just tolerating your presence, you know; we all like you. We want you here. We’re kind of really awful at figuring out how to handle all of the secrets that have been laid at our feet, but that’s not a reflection on you.”

“And that–” Patty straightens from where she’s been leaning on the desk, laughs– “is an understatement.”

***

“He’s nice,” Caitlin says, sighs, and she shoves her feet under Patty’s thighs.

“He’s boring,” Patty tells her, reaches over Caitlin’s knees to steal popcorn from the bowl resting on her stomach. “Dump him.”

Caitlin huffs a laugh, bats half-heartedly at her hand. “I can’t dump him; we aren’t even actually dating.”

“Hm.” Patty raises her eyebrows, grins. “Makes it even easier to dump him, then.”

Caitlin barks out a laugh, tugs one foot out so she can kick Patty. “I like him, Patty. I don’t want to not-dump him.”

“ _Do_ you like him?” Patty asks, catching Caitlin’s foot and drawing it across her so that Cait’s leg is just resting in her lap. She squeezes, slightly, and Caitlin pushes up to her elbows so she can see Patty’s face. “Is it really that you like him, or is he just… safe?”

“He’s a trans-dimensional superhero, Pat; what’s safe about that?”

Patty blows out a breath. “He’s a little bit on the tall side, but he’s a fairly medium build and has medium brown hair, he’s nice and he’s a little noble, but he’s also probably not going to throw himself into a blackhole or in front of a demon faced speedster, he’s… safe, Cait.” Patty bites her lip. “I think he’s fine. And I think that’s about all there is to him.”

Caitlin flexes her foot in Patty’s grip, hums thoughtfully. The red of her lipstick is matte, a thin slash across her face as she raises an eyebrow. “You think I’m settling.”

“I, uh.” Patty tilts her head back, lets it thunk against the back of the couch. “I think you’re incredible, Caitlin Snow, and I think that you deserve someone who’s also incredible.”

Patty lifts her head back up, feeling her cheeks burning, and fumbles for her soda. She’s pressing it to her lips as Caitlin offers, “You’re pretty incredible.”

(Patty narrowly avoids choking, and Caitlin drops back flat on the couch with a laugh.)

 


End file.
